Mandevilla plant named ‘MANZ0026’

ABSTRACT

A new Mandevilla plant named ‘MANZ0026’ particularly distinguished by its large rose pink flowers, glossy and smooth dark green foliage, compact and bushy plant habit with excellent branching and flower production and fast flowering response.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Mandevilla sanderi (Hemsl.) Woodson.

Varietal denomination: ‘MANZ0026’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Mandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘MANZ0026’.

‘MANZ0026’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large rose pink flowers, glossy and smooth dark green foliage, compact and bushy plant habit with excellent branching and flower production and fast flowering response.

‘MANZ0026’ originates from a hybridization made in a controlled breeding program in Amatitlan, Guatemala. The pollinations were made in 2014.

The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘DIP-022’ and having larger sized rose pink flowers, a more vigorous growth habit and lighter green foliage.

The male parent of ‘MANZ0026’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘DIP-064’, with pale pink flowers, a more compact growth habit, less flower production and smaller foliage.

The resulting seeds were sown in February 2015 and ‘MANZ0026’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in December 2015 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, California.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘MANZ0026’ was accomplished when vegetative stem cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in March 2016 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, California.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in June 2016 in Gilroy, California, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘MANZ0026’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘MANZ0026’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘MANZ0026’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘MANZ0026’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Mandevilla as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘MANZ0026’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 , a flowering potted plant of the new variety, approximately 6 months old, taken in Gilroy, California in November 2022 and in FIG. 2 , a close-up of a flower on a 6 month old plant taken in Gilroy, California in November 2022.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The detailed botanical description was completed in November 2022 in Gilroy, California. The plants were growing in quart size pots in a greenhouse; they were about 5 months in age.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘MANZ0026’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘MANZ0001’, ‘MANZ0026’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29276 Plant habit: More compact, More vigorous, larger minimal vining plant with some vining Flower size: Smaller Larger Foliage width: More narrow Wider

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth, and habit.—Perennial or sub-shrub, herbaceous             younger stems, woody at base of older stems, semi-upright,             with slight tendency of developing vines depending on season             and light intensity. Time for producing a commercial,             flowering plant approximately is 18-20 weeks for one plant             in a quart size container.         -   Plant height.—21 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—21 cm.         -   Plant width.—26 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 20-23 days at about             22 degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting plant.—5 weeks at             about 22 degrees C.         -   Type.—Fibrous, a little fleshy, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS 155D. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement of leaves.—Simple leaf, opposite and decussate.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A, some             anthocyanin present RHS 184C.         -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 138A overlain with             tones of RHS 184C.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 139A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 147B.         -   Length.—6.1-9.0 cm.         -   Width.—3.5-4.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Base shape.—Rounded.         -   Apex shape.—Mucronate to cuspidate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glossy, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glossy, glabrous.         -   Pattern of leaf veins.—Pinnate.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 139D.         -   Color of vein (midrib), lower surface.—RHS 139A.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 147B.         -   Length.—1.2-1.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Petiole, texture.—Glabrous. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching characteristics.—Moderately free branching.         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—4-5.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 144A.         -   Length of stem.—16-18 cm.         -   Diameter (at about mid-point).—0.2 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1.9-2.2 cm.         -   Stem, texture.—Smooth and glabrous. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type of inflorescence.—Raceme of several flowers, emerging             from nodes of the stem.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—3-6.         -   Length.—10-12 cm.         -   Diameter.—12-15 cm.         -   Blooming habit.—Continuously through the summer months.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 8 in various             stages of development.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—Approximately             8-10 days, depending on temperature.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Peduncle.—         -   Color.—Green, RHS 144A.         -   Length .—2.8-7.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.15 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous, somewhat glossy. -   Bud (just before opening/showing color):     -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS 53C.         -   Length.—7.3 cm.         -   Width.—1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elongated, spindle shape. -   Immature flower:     -   -   Diameter.—7.8 cm.         -   Vertical diameter.—About 7.0 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—RHS 54A with tones of RHS 55B and RHS             53C.         -   Color lower surface.—RHS 53C. -   Mature flower:     -   -   Shape.—Funnelform, funnel shaped base, formed by 5 partly             fused petals, with the petal lobes opening outwards, and a             little overlapping.         -   Flower, horizontal diameter.—9.2 cm.         -   Flower, vertical diameter.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Flower, diameter of the funnel.—1.6 cm.         -   Flower color, general.—Rose pink.         -   Flower color, upper surface.—RHS 54A with tones of RHS 55B             and RHS 53C.         -   Flower color, lower surface.—RHS 53C with slightly darker             and lighter tones of RHS 53B and RHS 53D.         -   Color of the funnel, inner side.—RHS 53B closest to throat             opening, interspersed with RHS 23A mid portion and solid RHS             23A at the base.         -   Color of the funnel, outside.—RHS 55B with slightly darker             and lighter tones of RHS 55A and RHS 55C.         -   Petal, shape.—Roughly ovate, asymmetric.         -   Petal apex shape.—Mucronate to cuspidate.         -   Petal base shape.—Fused.         -   Petal margin.—Mainly entire and mildly undulate.         -   Petal length, from the corolla opening.—3.9 cm.         -   Petal width, maximum.—4.0 cm.         -   Corolla, texture of upper surface.—Glabrous, papillose.         -   Corolla, texture of lower surface.—Glabrous, papillose.         -   Pedicel, color.—Light green, RHS 144B.         -   Length.—1.3-1.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Pedicel, texture.—Smooth, glabrous. -   Calyx:     -   -   Form.—5 sepals, closely attached to the base of the flower.         -   Color, visible outer surface.—RHS 144D.         -   Length.—1.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.45 cm.         -   Shape.—Subulate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1, with a 5-lobed stigma.         -   Style length.—2.1 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.05 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 145D.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 145C.         -   Stigma shape.—Five lobed.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 145C. -   Androecium:     -   -   Stamens.—5, surrounding the style and stigma.         -   Filaments.—Fused with the base of the flower.         -   Anther.—Elongated.         -   Anther color.—RHS 159B.         -   Anther length.—0.85 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 4D.         -   Pollen amount.—Moderate. -   Fertility/seed set: Has not been observed on this hybrid. -   Disease/pest resistance: Has not been observed on this hybrid. -   Plant hardiness: Known hardiness to Zone 9b. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Mandevilla plant named ‘MANZ0026’, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 